Is it worth the watch? “Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark”

I had grown apathetic to watching movies. If I was bored, I would just pop one on that I liked, and I would haphazardly watch it. I really wouldn’t watch it though, because I would be on my phone. I needed something to help me find new movies to watch other than googling “movies to watch in your twenties” for the millionth time. I bought one of those scratch off movie lists from Amazon. Fabulous! I bought a cheap frame to hang it on my wall, and I was set. The goal was to watch the movies in one year. It was just 100 movies. It couldn’t be that hard: that was almost two ago. 

It’s about time I finished the movie list. The scratch off poster I bought was the “Top 100 Movies Watchlist: The Highest-Rated IMDb Crowd Favorites”.When I initially looked at it, I noticed most of the movies were outside the genres I naturally gravitated toward. I went ahead and scratched off the movies I have already seen, which left me with 81 movies. After taking another look at the list, I’ve decided to watch and review two movies a week: that should work. It only feels appropriate to start with a movie that I feel like everyone has already seen. “Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark”. 

I know. I can’t believe I haven’t watched it yet. They also just released a new movie in the franchise with Phoebe Waller-Bridge. I LOVE Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Another reason I need to watch the franchise. Maybe the best reason. Anywho, back to the point. For “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, cinema all stars George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Harrison Ford got together, and said I want to make history. Warning! Spoilers Ahead! Now, let’s get into the review. 

The giant boulder chasing Jones as he is trying to leave with the idol?! Crazy. This movie also stirs an interesting conversation. What are the ethical guidelines for archeologists? Indiana Jones is posed as the good guy. A professor who goes into caves, forests, and deserts to retrieve lost moments in history to bring back to a museum for all to see. At least, for all the people who live near that museum or have enough money to go and see it. In the opening scene, we see a group of people guarding the treasure. At one point, they bow to the small gold idol that Jones was poorly hiding under his arm. This seems to indicate that not only do they believe it is powerful, but the idol should stay. Is Indiana Jones really the good guy? Moving on. 

I had no idea that Jones was racing to beat the Nazis to the Ark of the Covenant (the Ark)?! Right. I forgot to mention the artifact they are finding is the Ark. The Ark is portrayed as a gold rectangular box that is said to hold the remains of the Ten Commandments. Comparing the biblical description of the Ark to the films they are not that different. It makes the scenes with the Ark so effortlessly genuine. With the movie taking place in 1936, it depicts the Nazi’s intended use for the Ark as a weapon of mass destruction. All the while, this Clark Kent esque explorer is the only thing stopping them. 

I liked the use of sarcasm throughout the film. When Harrison Ford tossed a gun into his suitcase, while saying “You know what a cautious fellow I am” actually made me laugh a little. Indiana Jones is a unique man. He’s attractive, but awkward. It’s interesting to see such an awkward character be so equipped to use a whip. Why is the whip his weapon of choice? I guess it does make him stand out. 

Should we talk about Marion. Girl! That man did not deserve you. He chose the artifacts over you twice. Twice. Sure. He threatened to blow up the Ark for her. Then, guess what? He bailed. He barely showed any emotion when he thought she died. She deserved to sell that medallion to the museum and live out the rest of her days in peace free from that man. The ending though was sick. Could not have predicted the submarine. So weird. So fun to watch. So the Ark of the covenant is now residing in a box in a room full of boxes. Lost again? There was no label on the box other than the top secret warning. I guess it did its job though. It makes me want to watch the next one. This movie shows an appreciation for various historical events, and I loved seeing how they all interacted with each other. It’s flawed for sure, but also a fun way to introduce important historical characters and items. Dare I say, I encourage you to rewatch or watch it for the first time asap.